NEWS RELEASE

June 29, 2018

Immediate Release

City Crews Respond to Minor Sewage Spill

SAVANNAH, GA (June 29, 2018) — City of Savannah crews responded to a minor sewage spill at 8:00 a.m. today at 303 W. River St and at Indian Street/MLK Jr. Blvd. An estimated 7,650 gallons was released before the spill was corrected at 8:25 a.m. This is classified as a minor spill under state Environmental Protection Division guidelines.

The spill was due to overflowing manholes caused by a failure of contractor-operated sewer by-pass pumps which surcharged the sanitary sewer collection system on West River Street, while also causing an overflow at the discharge manhole at Indian Street/MLK Jr. Blvd. The City's Sewer and Lift Station Maintenance staff, in coordination with the contractor, corrected the by-pass pump operations, mitigated the sites, and placed lime on areas that came in contact with the discharge. City Jet-Vac trucks pumped and removed residual sanitary sewer from affected areas.

Spill notifications were placed at the following spill sites: Hutchinson Island, Fort Jackson, and the Houlihan Bridge Boat Ramp. All state and local agencies were notified as required by state guidelines.